Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for generating regions of interest using gestures via a user interface

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided for generating a region(s) of interest for a medical image(s). The apparatus includes at least one memory and at least one processor configured to receive an indication of one or more touches at corresponding locations on a touch enabled display. The respective touches define a touch point at the corresponding location. The processor is further configured to generate one or more regions of interest associated with areas of a medical image(s) responsive to receipt of the indications. A location of respective regions of interest corresponds to locations of touch points. The processor is further configured to define a diameter of regions of interest based on a width/pressure of the touch points and define the regions of interest to include a disc including a contour(s). The regions of interest correspond to an area for annotating the medical image(s). Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided.

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to user interfacetechnology and, more particularly, to a method, apparatus, and computerprogram product for providing a user a friendly and efficient manner inwhich to generate one or more regions of interest via a user interface.

BACKGROUND

Currently, medical images may be utilized for clinical purposes fordiagnosis or examination of patients, for example. In this regard, themedical images may be displayed by medical viewers for analysis, editingor annotation of relevant medical data associated with the medicalimages. For instance, a health care professional such as, for example, aphysician may utilize a medical viewer to annotate medical images byincluding some text describing the medical images, including arrowannotations pointing to relevant sections of the medical images, addingmeasurement data to the medical images and/or including other desirabledata in association with the medical images.

At present, existing medical viewers typically involve annotatingmedical images by interacting with control points associated with themedical viewer. However, existing medical viewers are not typicallyamenable to touch-based interaction for annotation of medical images.

In view of the foregoing, it may be desirable to provide an alternativemechanism in which to efficiently and reliably enable annotation of oneor more medical images via a user interface by utilizing touch basedinteraction.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A method, apparatus and computer program product are therefore providedfor providing a simple and intuitive mechanism of generating one or morefree-form annotations (e.g., closed curve annotations) for defining oneor more regions of interest based in part on one or more touch basedgestures.

In this regard, an example embodiment may provide a mechanism forefficient creation, modification and deletion of regions of interestassociated with corresponding areas of medical images via touch basedinteraction of a touch enabled device. The regions of interest of theexample embodiments may correspond to areas of a medical image(s) thatmay be of interest to a user. In this manner, the regions of interestmay be used to identify a feature(s) associated with a correspondingarea(s) of a medical image(s).

In an example embodiment, a region of interest(s) may be generated inresponse to an indication of a detection of touches of one or morefingers at a touch enabled device. In this regard, the detection of thetouches may trigger generation of one or more corresponding regions ofinterest having one or more contours defined by a virtual elastic bandsurrounding a virtual disc of a diameter located at a contact point ofeach of the touches on the touch enabled device (e.g., display). Anexample embodiment may modify the generated region of interests inresponse to a detection of one or more of the contours being overlappedwhen one or more fingers are moved across one or more of the contours ofthe generated region of interests via a touch enabled device.

According to an example embodiment, modifications of a generatedregion(s) of interest may include, but are not limited to, expansion,removal, deletion, disjoining or merging of portions of a generatedregion(s) of interest and/or the like.

In one example embodiment, a method for generating one or more regionsof interest for one or more corresponding medical images is provided.The method may include receiving an indication of one or more touches ata corresponding one or more locations on a touch enabled display. Therespective touches define a touch point at the corresponding location.The method may further include generating one or more regions ofinterest associated with one or more areas of at least one medical imagein response to receipt of the one or more indications. A location ofrespective regions of interest corresponds to the location of respectiveone or more touch points. The method may further include defining adiameter of respective regions of interest based in part on a width oran amount of pressure of the corresponding touch points and definingeach of the regions of interest to include at least one disc includingone or more contours. The respective regions of interest correspond toan area for annotating the medical image.

In another example embodiment, an apparatus for generating one or moreregions of interest for one or more corresponding medical images isprovided. The apparatus may include at least one memory and at least oneprocessor configured to cause the apparatus to receive an indication ofone or more touches at a corresponding one or more locations on a touchenabled display. The respective touches define a touch point at thecorresponding location. The processor may further cause the apparatus togenerate one or more regions of interest associated with one or moreareas of at least one medical image in response to receipt of the one ormore indications. A location of respective regions of interestcorresponds to the location of respective one or more touch points. Theprocessor may further cause the apparatus to define a diameter ofrespective regions of interest based in part on a width or an amount ofpressure of the corresponding touch points and define each of theregions of interest to include at least one disc including one or morecontours. The respective regions of interest correspond to an area forannotating the medical image.

In another example embodiment, a computer program product for generatingone or more regions of interest for one or more corresponding medicalimages is provided. The computer program product includes at least onecomputer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program codeinstructions stored therein. The computer-executable program codeinstructions may include program code instructions configured to causereceipt of an indication of one or more touches at a corresponding oneor more locations on a touch enabled display. The respective touchesdefine a touch point at the corresponding location. The program codeinstructions may also be configured to generate one or more regions ofinterest associated with one or more areas of at least one medical imagein response to receipt of the one or more indications. A location ofrespective regions of interest corresponds to the location of respectiveone or more touch points. The program code instructions may also beconfigured to define a diameter of respective regions of interest basedin part on a width or an amount of pressure of the corresponding touchpoints and define each of the regions of interest to include at leastone disc including one or more contours. The respective regions ofinterest correspond to an area for annotating the medical image.

Embodiments of the invention may provide a better user experience giventhe ease and efficiency in generating one or more regions of interestfor medical images via a user interface. As a result, device users mayenjoy improved capabilities with respect to annotating medical images.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn toscale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a system according to an exampleembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a computing device according toan example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device accordingto an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4. is a diagram illustrating generation of a region of interestaccording to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 5 & 6 are diagrams illustrating expansion of a generated region ofinterest according to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating shrinking of a generated region ofinterest according to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating disjoining of a generated region ofinterest according to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating merging of disjoined region of a regionof interest according to an example embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for generating one or more regions of interestaccording to an example embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described morefully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichsome, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed,various embodiments of the invention may be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments setforth herein. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.As used herein, the terms “data,” “content,” “information” and similarterms may be used interchangeably to refer to data capable of beingtransmitted, received and/or stored in accordance with embodiments ofthe invention. Moreover, the term “example”, as used herein, is notprovided to convey any qualitative assessment, but instead merely toconvey an illustration of an example. Thus, use of any such terms shouldnot be taken to limit the spirit and scope of embodiments of theinvention.

As defined herein a “computer-readable storage medium,” which refers toa non-transitory, physical or tangible storage medium (e.g., volatile ornon-volatile memory device), may be differentiated from a“computer-readable transmission medium,” which refers to anelectromagnetic signal.

As referred to herein, a region(s) of interest (ROI(s)) may, but neednot, refer to a curved annotation (e.g., a closed curve annotation(s))corresponding to an area(s) of one or more medical images for annotationof the medical images. The region(s) of interest may be generated basedin part on one or more touch based gestures.

General System Architecture

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram of a systemaccording to example embodiments. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 2(e.g., a health care system) may include one or more communicationdevices 100 (e.g., smart devices, personal computers, laptops,workstations, servers, personal digital assistants, and the like, etc.)which may access one or more network entities such as, for example, acomputing device 145 (e.g., a server), or any other similar networkentity, over a network 140, such as a wired local area network (LAN) ora wireless local area network (WLAN), a metropolitan network (MAN)and/or a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet). In this regard,the computing device 145 is capable of receiving data from andtransmitting data to the communication devices 100 via network 140.

In one example embodiment, the communication devices 100 may be utilizedby one or more clinicians, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physicaltherapists and/or any other suitable health care professionals or users(e.g., a patient(s)) to communicate with the computing device 145 inorder to request a medical image(s) (e.g., a Digital Imaging andCommunications in Medicine (DICOM) medical image(s)). In response toreceipt of the request, the computing device 145 may send the requestingcommunication device 100 a corresponding medical image(s). The medicalimage(s) received from the computing device 145, or a medical image(s)prestored in a memory of the communication device 100, may be utilizedby the requesting communication device 100 to generate one or moreregions of interest associated with the medical image(s) which may beused for annotating the medical image(s), as described more fully below.

It should be pointed out that although FIG. 1 shows six communicationdevices 100 and one computing device 145 any suitable number ofcommunication devices 100 and computing devices 145 may be part of thesystem of FIG. 1 without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Computing Device

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a computing device according to anexample embodiment of the invention. The computing device 145 may, butneed not, be a network entity such as, for example, a server. Thecomputing device 145 includes various means for performing one or morefunctions in accordance with example embodiments of the invention,including those more particularly shown and described herein Forexample, as shown in FIG. 2, the computing device 145 may include aprocessor 34 connected to a memory 36. The memory may comprise volatileand/or non-volatile memory, and typically stores content (e.g., mediacontent, medical images, etc.), data, information or the like.

For example, the memory may store content transmitted from thecommunication devices 100. In this regard, in an example embodiment, thememory 36 may store one or medical images (e.g., DICOM medical images,X-rays of the human body, etc.) and any other suitable information.

Also for example, the memory 36 typically stores client applications,instructions, algorithms or the like for execution by the processor 34to perform steps associated with operation of the computing device 145in accordance with embodiments of the invention. As explained below, forexample, the memory 36 may store one or more client applications such asfor example software (e.g., software code also referred to herein ascomputer code).

The processor 34 may be embodied as a controller, coprocessor,microprocessor of other processing devices including integrated circuitssuch as, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),a field programmable gate array (FPGA). In an example embodiment, theprocessor may execute instructions stored in the memory 36 or otherwiseaccessible to the processor 34. The processor 34 may also be connectedto at least one communication interface 38 or other means fortransmitting and/or receiving data, content or the like.

The computing device 145 may also include at least one user interfacethat may include one or more earphones and/or speakers, a display 30,and/or a user input interface 32. The user input interface, in turn, maycomprise any of a number of devices allowing the entity to receive datafrom a user, such as a microphone, a keypad, keyboard, a touch display,a joystick, image capture device, pointing device (e.g., mouse), stylusor other input device.

In an example embodiment, the processor 34 may receive a request for oneor more medical images stored in the memory 36 from a communicationdevice 100. In response to receipt of the request, the processor 34 maysend the communication device 100 the requested medical images. Thecommunication device 100 may utilize the received medical images, or amedical image(s) prestored in its memory 86, to generate one or moreregions of interest associated with corresponding areas of the medicalimages. The generated regions of interest may be utilized to annotatethe medical image(s), as described more fully below.

Communication Device

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a communication device accordingto an example embodiment of the invention. The communication device 100includes various means for performing one or more functions inaccordance with example embodiments of the invention, including thosemore particularly shown and described herein. It should be understood,however, that one or more of the communication devices may includealternative means for performing one or more like functions, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. More particularly,for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the communication device 100 mayinclude a processor 70 connected to a memory 86. The memory may comprisevolatile and/or non-volatile memory, and typically stores content (e.g.,media content, medical information, etc.), data, information or thelike.

For example, the memory may store content transmitted from the computingdevice 145 or other communication devices 100. In this regard, thememory is capable of storing data including, but not limited to, medicaldata such as medical images or X-rays of the human body or one or moreparts of the human body, as well as any other suitable medicalinformation. The medical images described herein may be generated withthe use of non-ionizing radiation, electromagnetic energy emitted byX-rays, ultrasound technology, magnetic resonance imaging or any othersuitable mechanism or modality to view anatomical parts of the humanbody or animals. The medical images described herein may be formatted inaccordance with the DICOM protocol which is a standard for storinghandling, printing, receiving and transmitting information in medicalimaging.

Also for example, the memory 86 typically stores client applications,instructions, algorithms or the like for execution by the processor 70to perform steps associated with operation of the communication device100 in accordance with embodiments of the invention. As explained below,for example, the memory 86 may store one or more client applicationssuch as, for example, software (e.g., software code also referred toherein as computer code).

The processor 70 may be embodied in a variety of ways. For instance, theprocessor 70 may be embodied as a controller, coprocessor,microprocessor of other processing devices including integrated circuitssuch as, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),a field programmable gate array (FPGA). In an example embodiment, theprocessor may execute instructions stored in the memory 86 or otherwiseaccessible to the processor 70.

The communication device 100 may include one or more logic elements forperforming various functions of one or more client applications. In anexample embodiment, the communication device 100 may execute the clientapplications. The logic elements performing the functions of one or moreclient applications may be embodied in an integrated circuit assemblyincluding one or more integrated circuits (e.g., an ASIC, FPGA or thelike) integral or otherwise in communication with a respective networkentity (e.g., computing system, client, server, etc.) or moreparticularly, for example, a processor 70 of the respective networkentity.

In addition to the memory 86, the processor 70 may also be connected toat least one interface or other means for displaying, transmittingand/or receiving data, content or the like. The interface(s) can includeat least one communication interface 88 or other means for transmittingand/or receiving data, content or the like. In this regard, thecommunication interface 88 may include, for example, an antenna andsupporting hardware and/or software for enabling communications with awireless communication network. For example, the communicationinterface(s) may include a first communication interface for connectingto a first network, and a second communication interface for connectingto a second network. In this regard, the communication device is capableof communicating with other devices such as, for example, the computingdevice 145 or other communication devices over one or more networks(e.g., network 140) such as a Local Area Network (LAN), wireless LAN(WLAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN), theInternet, or the like. Alternatively, the communication interface cansupport a wired connection with the respective network.

In addition to the communication interface(s), the interface(s) may alsoinclude at least one user interface that may include one or moreearphones and/or speakers, a touch screen display 80, and/or a userinput interface 82. The user input interface, in turn, may comprise anyof a number of devices allowing the entity to receive data from a user,such as a microphone, a keypad, keyboard, a touch display, a joystick,image capture device, pointing device (e.g., mouse), stylus or otherinput device.

The touch screen display 80 may be configured to enable touchrecognition by any suitable technique, such as resistive, capacitive,infrared, strain gauge, surface wave, optical imaging, dispersive signaltechnology, acoustic pulse recognition, or other like techniques. Thetouch screen display 80 may also detect finger movements just above thetouch screen display even in an instance in which the finger may notactually touch the touch screen display 80. The touch screen interface54 may be in communication with the touch screen display 80 to receiveindications of user inputs at the touch screen display 80 and to modifya response to such indications based on corresponding user actions thatmay be inferred or otherwise determined responsive to the indications.In this regard, the touch screen interface 54 may be any device or meansembodied in either hardware, software, or a combination of hardware andsoftware configured to perform the respective functions associated withthe touch screen interface 54 as described below.

In an example embodiment, the touch screen interface 54 may be embodiedin software as instructions that are stored in the memory device 86 andexecuted by the processor 70. Alternatively, the touch screen interface54 may be embodied as the processor 70 configured to perform thefunctions of the touch screen interface 54.

The touch screen interface 54 may be configured to receive one or moreindications of an input in the form of a touch point or touch event atthe touch screen display 80. In response to recognition of the touchevent, the touch screen interface 54 may be configured to subsequentlydetermine a stroke event or other input gesture and may provide acorresponding indication on the touch screen display 80 based on thestroke event. In this regard, for example, the touch screen interface 54may include a detector 50 to receive indications of user inputs in orderto recognize and/or determine a touch point or touch event based on eachinput received at the detector 50.

In an example embodiment, one or more sensors (e.g., sensor 81) may bein communication with the detector 50, via processor 70. The sensors maybe any of various devices, circuitry, or modules configured to sense oneor more conditions. In this regard, for example, a condition(s) that maybe monitored by the sensor 81 may include pressure (e.g., an amount ofpressure exerted by a touch point or touch event) and any other suitableparameters (e.g., an amount of time in which the touch screen display 80was pressed, or a size of an area of the touch screen display 80 thatwas pressed).

A touch point (also referred to herein interchangeably as a touch event)may be defined as a detection of an object, such as a stylus, finger,pen, pencil or any other pointing device, coming into contact with aportion of the touch screen display 80 in a manner sufficient toregister as a touch (or registering of a detection of an object justabove the touch screen display 80 (e.g., hovering of a finger)). In thisregard, for example, a touch event could be a detection of pressure onthe screen of touch screen display 80 above a particular pressurethreshold over a given area. In an alternative example embodiment, atouch point may be a detection of pressure on the screen of touch screendisplay 80 for longer than a particular threshold time. After each touchpoint, the touch screen interface 54 (e.g., via the detector 50) may befurther configured to recognize and/or determine a corresponding strokeevent or input gesture. A stroke event (which may also be referred to asan input gesture) may be defined as a touch point followed immediatelyby motion of the object initiating the touch point while the objectremains in contact with the touch screen display 80. In other words, thestroke event or input gesture may be defined by motion following a touchpoint thereby forming a continuous, moving touch point defining a movingseries of instantaneous touch positions. The stroke event or inputgesture may represent a series of unbroken touch points, or in somecases a combination of separate touch points. With respect to thedescription above, the term “immediately” should not necessarily beunderstood to correspond to a temporal limitation. Rather, the term“immediately,” while it may generally correspond to a relatively shorttime after a touch event in many instances, instead is indicative of nointervening actions between the touch event and the motion of the objectdefining the touch positions while such object remains in contact withthe touch screen display 80. In this regard, it should be pointed outthat no intervening actions may cause operation or function of the touchscreen. However, in some instances in which a touch point that is heldfor a threshold period of time triggers a corresponding function, theterm immediately may also have a temporal component associated in thatthe motion of the object causing the touch point must occur before theexpiration of the threshold period of time.

In an example embodiment, the detector 50 may be configured tocommunicate detection information regarding the recognition or detectionof a stroke event or input gesture as well as a selection of one or moreitems of data (e.g., images (e.g., medical images), text, graphicalelements, etc.) to a data analyzer 62. The data analyzer 62 may, inturn, communicate with a region of interest module 78. In oneembodiment, the data analyzer 62 (along with the detector 50) may be aportion of the touch screen interface 54. In an example embodiment, thetouch screen interface 54 may be embodied by a processor, controller ofthe like. In addition, the data analyzer 62 and the detector 50 may eachbe embodied as any means such as a device or circuitry embodied inhardware, software or a combination of hardware and software that isconfigured to perform corresponding functions of the data analyzer 62and the detector 50, respectively.

In an example embodiment, the processor 70 may be in communication withand may otherwise control a region of interest module 78 (also referredto herein as a ROI module 78). The region of interest module 78 may beany means such as a device or circuitry operating in accordance withsoftware or otherwise embodied in hardware or a combination of hardwareand software thereby configuring the device or circuitry (e.g., aprocessor, controller, microprocessor or the like) to perform thecorresponding functions of the region of interest module 78, asdescribed below. In examples in which software is employed, a device orcircuitry (e.g., processor 70 in one example) executing the softwareforms the structure associated with such means. As such, for example,the region of interest module 78 may be configured to, among otherthings, generate one or more free form annotations (e.g., closed curveannotations) defining a region(s) of interest associated withcorresponding areas of one or more medical images. The region(s) ofinterest may be generated based in part on one or more touch-basedgestures, as described more fully below.

Example System Operation

Example embodiments of the invention may provide an efficient andreliable mechanism for generating one or more annotations (e.g., closedcurve annotations) using touch-based gestures to define one of moreregions of interest for one or more corresponding medical images. Inthis regard, an example embodiment may provide an efficient andintuitive manner in which to generate and modify annotations (e.g.,closed curve annotations) defining regions of interest for medicalimages via devices utilizing touch-based technology.

In an example embodiment, an annotation(s) may be utilized to define aregion(s) of interest (ROI). The ROI may be utilized by a user toidentify one or more relevant features of interest within a medicalimage(s) (e.g., a tumor). In this regard, an example embodiment may, forexample, use the identified region of interest to compute and display tothe user specific measurement data pertinent to a clinical scenario orany other suitable data associated with the medical image. For purposesof illustration and not of limitation, the measurement data may include,but is not limited to, average density, an ROI area, an ROI perimeter,and any other suitable measurement data.

As examples in which the ROI module 78 may generate or modify one ormore regions of interest, consider FIGS. 4-9 described more fully belowfor purposes of illustration and not of limitation. It should be pointedout that the regions of interest associated with FIGS. 4-9 may relate toan area(s) of interest at one or more respective medical images. Themedical images may be prestored in a memory (e.g., memory 86) of acommunication device 100 or may be received from the computing device145 or one or more other communications devices 100. Additionally, thegenerated regions of interest may be overlaid on corresponding areas ofone or more medical images on a touch enabled display (e.g., touchscreen display 80).

Referring now to FIG. 4, a diagram illustrating creation of a region ofinterest associated with a medical image(s) according to an exampleembodiment is provided. A region of interest may be generated by the ROImodule 78 in response to receipt of an indication of a touch at thetouch screen display 80 of the communication device 100. In this regard,in an instance in which the ROI module 78 receives an indication of atouch at the touch screen display 80, the ROI module 78 may generate aROI 3 (e.g., a circular ROI) of a predetermined size at a locationcorresponding to the detected touch. The diameter D of the generated ROI3 may be configured to be approximately equal to the width of an adulthuman index finger (e.g., D=1.8 cm). In this manner, a contour(s) of thegenerated ROI may be defined by a virtual disc of diameter D.

In an alternative example embodiment, the ROI module 78 may utilize thesensor 81 to measure an amount of pressure of one or more touches at thetouch screen display 80 in order to generate the diameter D. As such,the ROI module 78 may be utilized to define the diameter D of thevirtual disc by calculating diameter D as a function of the measuredpressure associated with a respective touch point(s). For example, theROI module 78 may determine that diameter D may vary linearly between aminimum predefined value m and a maximum predefined value M according tothe formula D=m+(M−m)*p, where p is the amount of measured pressure atthe touch point(s) and is normalized to the interval [0,1] (e.g., anyvalue between 0 and 1 may be included). In this regard, the ROI module78 may determine that the diameter D may thus vary continuously as thepressure changes during detection of one or more touches.

In addition, the ROI module 78 may generate multiple ROIs in response toreceipt of an indication of multiple touches of corresponding fingers atthe touch screen display 80. In this regard, the contour of acorresponding ROI(s) may be defined by a virtual elastic bandsurrounding corresponding virtual discs of diameter D located at eachtouch point, for example, at each point that one or more fingers touchthe touch screen display 80. A portion of a generated ROI may bemodified in response to an indication of a contour(s) of the ROI beingoverlapped or traversed by a finger being moved across the touch screendisplay 80.

As described more fully below, according to an example embodiment, theROI module 78 may expand an ROI, shrink or remove a portion of an ROI,or otherwise modify an ROI by determining that one or more respectivetouch points (e.g., touches of a finger(s)) detected at the touch screendisplay 80 define one or more corresponding virtual discs that follow ortrack the movement of the touch points. In this regard, the ROI module78 may determine that for each change in a position of a correspondingvirtual disc(s) that overlaps a contour of a ROI, the section of thecontour that overlaps the corresponding virtual disc(s) may be modifiedby the ROI module 78 so that it follows the edge of the correspondingvirtual disc(s). By modifying an a section of a contour of an ROI suchthat it follows the edge of the corresponding virtual disc(s), the ROImodule 78 may expand, shrink, remove or otherwise modify an ROI, asdescribed more fully below.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 & 6, diagrams illustrating a manner ofexpanding a generated ROI associated with a medical image(s) accordingto an example embodiment are provided. As shown in FIG. 5, the ROImodule 78 may expand or grow a generated ROI (e.g., ROI 3) to obtain anexpanded ROI 5 in response to receipt of an indication of a touch of afinger (or similar actuating entity, such as a stylus) at the touchscreen display 80 and in response to receipt of an indication that thefinger is being dragged or moved across the touch screen display withoutbeing lifted from the touch screen display 80, for example.Additionally, the ROI module 78 may expand an existing or generated ROI(e.g., ROI 3) in response to receipt of an indication of a touch of afinger (or similar actuating entity) inside of the generated ROI anddetection of the finger being dragging across the touch screen display80. For instance, as shown in FIG. 6, the ROI module 78 may expand agenerated ROI (e.g., ROI 3) in response to receipt of an indication of atouch of a finger inside the generated ROI and detection of the fingerbeing dragged or moved across the touch screen display 80 along a path 7defining a contour 9 of the expanded ROI 11.

It should be pointed out that in one example embodiment of FIG. 6, theROI 3 may be expanded by the ROI module 78 to form the expanded ROI 11in response to the ROI module 78 receiving an indication that a contourof a generated ROI (e.g., ROI 3) is being overlapped or traversed suchthat the disc of the generated ROI (e.g., ROI 3) follows the disc edge,which may modify the generated ROI (e.g., ROI 3) to create the expandedROI 11.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a diagram illustrating a manner of shrinking orremoving a region of interest associated with a medical image(s)according to an example embodiment is provided. In this regard, the ROImodule 78 may shrink a ROI, in response to receipt of an indication, bythe ROI module 78, of a detection of one or more touches of a fingeroutside of a generated ROI and an indication that the finger is draggedacross a portion of the ROI. For example, as shown in the exampleembodiment of FIG. 7, in response to receipt of an indication of adetection of a touch of a finger outside of the ROI 12 and that thefinger is being dragged or moved across the touch screen display 80 overa corresponding portion 14 of the ROI 12, the ROI module 78 may shrinkor remove the corresponding portion 14 from the ROI. More particularly,for the example embodiment in FIG. 7, the ROI module 78 may remove theportion 14 of the ROI 12 in response to detection of the indication ofthe finger outside of the ROI 12 and detection of the finger being movedacross or within a portion of the ROI 12 such that the finger overlapsor traverses at least one contour 8 of the ROI 12. In this regard, byremoving the corresponding portion 14, the ROI module 78 may delete thecorresponding portion 14 of the ROI 12.

As another example, consider an instance in which the ROI module 78 maydetect a touch of a finger outside of an upper area of the ROI 12 and adetection of the finger being dragged across the touch screen display 80corresponding to a center portion of the ROI 12. Consider further thatthe ROI module 78 then detects that the finger is lifted from the touchscreen display 80. In this example, the ROI module 78 may remove theportion of the ROI 12 that the finger was dragged across and the otherportions of the ROI 12 may remain intact.

In an example embodiment, the ROI module 78 may expand and/or remove oneor more portions of a generated region of interest simultaneously. Forexample, the ROI module 78 may simultaneously remove and expandcorresponding portions of a generated ROI in response to receipt of adetection of a touch of at least one finger outside of the ROI beingdragged across the touch screen display 80 to a corresponding portioninside the ROI, which removes the corresponding portion of the ROI anddetection of at least one other finger inside the ROI being draggedacross the touch screen display 80 to an outer edge of the ROI such thata contour of the ROI is overlapped and moved outwardly, which expandsthe ROI.

As described above, according to embodiments of the present invention,the ROI module 78 may expand an ROI, shrink or remove a portion of anROI or otherwise modify an ROI by determining that one or morerespective touch points (e.g., touch of a finger) detected at the touchscreen display 80 define one or more corresponding virtual discs andthat the virtual discs follow or track the movement of the touch points.In this regard, the ROI module 78 may determine that for every change ina position of a corresponding virtual disc(s) that overlaps a contour ofa ROI, the section of the contour that overlaps the correspondingvirtual disc(s) is modified by the ROI module 78 so that it follows theedge of the corresponding virtual disc(s).

Referring now to FIG. 8, a diagram illustrating a manner in which todisjoin a region of interest associated with medical image(s) accordingto an example embodiment is provided. In the example embodiment of FIG.8, the ROI module 78 may generate the ROI 15. The ROI module 78 maydisjoin the ROI 15 of the example embodiment of FIG. 8. For example, theROI module 78 may split the ROI 15 in response to an indication of adetection of a touch of a finger on the touch screen display 80 outsideof the ROI 15 and detection of the finger being dragged through the ROI15 such that a contour 21 of the ROI 15 is being moved, by a virtualdisc associated with the finger, to reach a lower contour section 23 ofthe ROI 15. In the example of FIG. 8, the ROI 15 may become disjoint, bythe ROI module 78, as soon as the removal of the overlapping contoursections 21 and 23 result in two separate closed curves 25 and 27. Inthis manner, the ROI module 78 may interactively modify the ROI 15 asthe finger is being dragged as opposed to modification at the end of thetouch interaction with the touch screen display 80. As such, the ROImodule 78 may split the ROI 15 into two disjoint regions 17 and 19, asdefined by the resulting closed curves 25 and 27. The disjoint regions17 and 19 may be expanded and portions of the disjoint regions 17 and 19may be removed by the ROI module 78, in a manner analogous to thatdescribed above.

In one example embodiment, the disjoint regions 17 and 19 may remainunited and form the same ROI 15 from which they were split, even thoughthey are physically separated. In other words, although the disjointregions 17 and 19 are physically separated, they may remain part of theROI 15 and the data associated with respective portions of a medicalimages(s) corresponding to disjoint regions 17 and 19 may remain united.As such, for example, in an instance in which an average densitymeasurement may be computed for the ROI 15, the average densitymeasurement may correspond to the union of the two resulting regions 17and 19 to yield one measurement as opposed to two separate averagedensity measurements corresponding to each of the disjointed regions 17and 19.

In an alternative example embodiment, splitting of the ROI 15, by theROI module 78, may result in the generation of two disjointed regions 17and 19 that may relate to two different ROIs and as such the disjointedregions 17 and 19 may no longer be united. In this alternativeembodiment, the data associated with respective portions of a medicalimages(s) corresponding to disjoint regions 17 and 19 may no longer beunited. As such, for example, an average density measurement computedfor disjointed regions 17 and 19 may result in two separate and distinctmeasurements corresponding to each of the disjointed regions 17 and 19.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a diagram illustrating a manner in which toreconnect disjoined regions of a region of interest associated with amedical image(s) according to an example embodiment is provided. Asshown in FIG. 9, the ROI module 78 may reconnect the disjoined regions17 and 19 in response to the ROI module 78 enabling the contours 29 and31 associated with curves 25, 27 (See e.g., FIG. 8) to overlap. The ROImodule 78 may enable the contours 29 and 31 to overlap in response toreceipt of an indication of a detection of a touch of a finger insidedisjoined region 17 and an indication of a detection of the finger beingdragged across the touch screen display 80 to an edge of the contour 31of the disjoined region 19. In this regard, the overlapping contoursections 29 and 31 may be removed by the ROI module 78 and the ROImodule 78 may fuse or merge the disjoined regions 17 and 19 to form ROI15. In other words, the ROI module 78 may detect the touch of a fingeracross display 80 as the finger is being dragged, and an associatedvirtual disc, generated by the ROI module 78, may push the contour 29 ofthe disjoined region 17 outwards. As the contour 29 is pushed towardsthe disjoined region 19, by the associated virtual disc, the contoursections may be overlapped and removed and as such the two disjoinedregions 17 and 19 may be merged to form ROI 15 in the manner in whichROI 15 was originally generated by the ROI module 78.

It should be pointed out that the ROI module 78 may allow otherinteractions with the generated ROIs. For instance, in response toreceipt of an indication of a touch of a generated ROI on the touchscreen display 80, the ROI module 78 may toggle control annotationcontrol points or widgets that may allow scaling, rotating, skewing,other transformations of the corresponding ROI, deleting thecorresponding ROI and any other suitable interactions.

Referring now to FIG. 10, a flowchart for generating one or moreannotations (e.g., closed curve annotations) for defining a region(s) ofinterest associated with a medical image(s) according to an exampleembodiment is provided. At operation 1000, an apparatus (e.g., ROImodule 78) may receive an indication of one or more touches atcorresponding locations on a touch enabled display. The touches maydefine a touch point at the corresponding location. At operation 1005,an apparatus (e.g., ROI module 78) may generate one or more regions ofinterest (e.g., ROI 5) associated with one or more areas of a medicalimage(s) in response to receipt of the indications of the touches. Thelocation of the regions of interest corresponds to locations ofrespective touch points. At operation 1010, the apparatus (e.g., ROImodule 78) may define a diameter (e.g., D=1.8 cm) of the regions ofinterest based in part on a width or an amount of pressure of thecorresponding touch points. At operation 1015, an apparatus (e.g., ROImodule 78) may define each of the regions of interest to include atleast one disc including one or more contours. The respective regions ofinterest may correspond to an area for annotating the medical image.

It should be pointed out that FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a system, methodand computer program product according to example embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block or step of theflowchart, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart, can beimplemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, and/or acomputer program product including one or more computer programinstructions. For example, one or more of the procedures described abovemay be embodied by computer program instructions. In this regard, in anexample embodiment, the computer program instructions which embody theprocedures described above are stored by a memory device (e.g., memory86, memory 36) and executed by a processor (e.g., processor 70,processor 34, region of interest module 78). As will be appreciated, anysuch computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer orother programmable apparatus (e.g., hardware) to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions which execute on the computer or otherprogrammable apparatus cause the functions specified in the flowchartblocks or steps to be implemented. In some embodiments, the computerprogram instructions are stored in a computer-readable memory that candirect a computer or other programmable apparatus to function in aparticular manner, such that the instructions stored in thecomputer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture includinginstructions which implement the function specified in the flowchartblocks or steps. The computer program instructions may also be loadedonto a computer or other programmable apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in theflowchart blocks or steps.

Accordingly, blocks or steps of the flowchart support combinations ofmeans for performing the specified functions and combinations of stepsfor performing the specified functions. It will also be understood thatone or more blocks or steps of the flowchart, and combinations of blocksor steps in the flowchart, can be implemented by special purposehardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions orsteps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computerinstructions.

In an example embodiment, an apparatus for performing the methods ofFIG. 10 above may comprise a processor (e.g., the processor 70, theprocessor 34, the region of interest module 78) configured to performsome or each of the operations described above. The processor may, forexample, be configured to perform the operations by performing hardwareimplemented logical functions, executing stored instructions, orexecuting algorithms for performing each of the operations.Alternatively, the apparatus may comprise means for performing each ofthe operations described above. In this regard, according to an exampleembodiment, examples of means for performing operations may comprise,for example, the processor 34, the processor 70 (e.g., as means forperforming any of the operations described above), the region ofinterest module 78 and/or a device or circuit for executing instructionsor executing an algorithm for processing information as described above.

Conclusion

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associateddrawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain examplecombinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated thatdifferent combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided byalternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appendedclaims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elementsand/or functions than those explicitly described above are alsocontemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A method comprising: receiving an indication of one or more touchesat a corresponding one or more locations on a touch enabled display,respective touches defining a touch point at the corresponding location;generating, via a processor, one or more regions of interest associatedwith one or more areas of at least one medical image in response toreceipt of the one or more indications, a location of respective regionsof interest corresponding to the location of respective one or moretouch points; defining a diameter of respective regions of interestbased in part on a width or an amount of pressure of the correspondingtouch points; and defining each of the regions of interest to compriseat least one disc comprising one or more contours, wherein respectiveregions of interest correspond to an area for annotating the medicalimage.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the regions of interest areoverlaid on corresponding areas of the medical image displayed via thetouch enabled display.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:expanding a size of at least one of the regions of interest in responseto receipt of an indication of a detection of a first touch point, ofthe touch points, being moved across the touch enabled display or inresponse to receipt of an indication of at least one second touch point,of the touch points, within the at least one region of interest beingmoved across the touch enabled display in an outward directionoverlapping a first contour of the region of interest.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: removing a portion of at least one of theregions of interest in response to receipt of a detection of anindication of a first touch point, of the touch points, outside of anarea of the at least one region of interest and in response to receiptof an indication that the first touch point is being moved across thetouch enabled display within at least a portion of the region ofinterest and overlaps a first contour of the region of interest.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: disjoining at least one of theregions of interest in response to receipt of an indication of a firsttouch point, of the touch points, outside of an area of the at least oneregion of interest being moved across the touch enabled display totraverse a first contour and a second contour of the region of interest,wherein disjoining comprises splitting the at least one region ofinterest into two disjoined regions.
 6. The method of claim 5,comprising: enabling the two disjoined regions to remain united, eventhough the two disjoined regions are separated by uniting the dataassociated with the two disjoined regions.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein uniting the data comprises uniting the data of the medicalimage.
 8. The method of claim 5, wherein splitting the at least oneregion of interest into two disjoined regions comprises generating afirst region of interest associated with a first disjoined region of thetwo disjoined regions and a second region of interest associated with asecond disjoined region of the two disjoined regions and the methodfurther comprises: determining that the data associated with the twodisjoined regions are no longer united.
 9. The method of claim 5,further comprising: merging the two disjoined regions to obtain the atleast one region of interest in response to receipt of an indication ofa second touch point, of the touch points, inside a first disjoinedregion of the two disjoined regions being moved across the touch enableddevice to overlap a contour of the first disjoined region and to overlapa contour of the second disjoined region of the two disjoined regions.10. An apparatus comprising: at least one memory; and at least oneprocessor configured to cause the apparatus to: receive an indication ofone or more touches at a corresponding one or more locations on a touchenabled display, respective touches defining a touch point at thecorresponding location; generate one or more regions of interestassociated with one or more areas of at least one medical image inresponse to receipt of the one or more indications, a location ofrespective regions of interest corresponding to the location ofrespective one or more touch points; define a diameter of respectiveregions of interest based in part on a width or an amount of pressure ofthe corresponding touch points; and define each of the regions ofinterest to comprise at least one disc comprising one or more contours,wherein respective regions of interest correspond to an area forannotating the medical image.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein theregions of interest are overlaid on corresponding areas of the medicalimage displayed via the touch enabled display.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to cause theapparatus to: expand a size of at least one of the regions of interestin response to receipt of an indication of a detection of a first touchpoint, of the touch points, being moved across the touch enabled displayor in response to receipt of an indication of at least one second touchpoint, of the touch points, within the at least one region of interestbeing moved across the touch enabled display in an outward directionoverlapping a first contour of the region of interest.
 13. The apparatusof claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: remove aportion of at least one of the regions of interest in response toreceipt of a detection of an indication of a first touch point, of thetouch points, outside of an area of the at least one region of interestand in response to receipt of an indication that the first touch pointis being moved across the touch enabled display within at least aportion of the region of interest and overlaps a first contour of theregion of interest.
 14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processoris further configured to: disjoin at least one of the regions ofinterest in response to receipt of an indication of a first touch point,of the touch points, outside of an area of the at least one region ofinterest being moved across the touch enabled display to traverse afirst contour and a second contour of the region of interest, whereindisjoin the at least one region comprises splitting the at least oneregion of interest into two disjoined regions.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to: enable the twodisjoined regions to remain united, even though the two disjoinedregions are separated by uniting the data associated with the twodisjoined regions.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processoris further configured to unite the data by uniting the data of themedical image.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor isfurther configured to cause the apparatus to: split the at least oneregion of interest into two disjoined regions by generating a firstregion of interest associated with a first disjoined region of the twodisjoined regions and a second region of interest associated with asecond disjoined region of the two disjoined regions; and determine thatthe data associated with the two disjoined regions are no longer united.18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to: merge the two disjoined regions to obtain the region ofinterest in response to receipt of an indication of a second touchpoint, of the touch points, inside a first disjoined region of the twodisjoined regions being moved across the touch enabled device to overlapa contour of the first disjoined region and to overlap a contour of thesecond disjoined region of the two disjoined regions.
 19. A computerprogram product comprising at least one computer-readable storage mediumhaving computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, thecomputer executable program code instructions comprising: program codeinstructions configured to facilitate receipt of an indication of one ormore touches at a corresponding one or more locations on a touch enableddisplay, respective touches defining a touch point at the correspondinglocation; program code instructions configured to generate one or moreregions of interest associated with one or more areas of at least onemedical image in response to receipt of the one or more indications, alocation of respective regions of interest corresponding to the locationof respective one or more touch points; program code instructionsconfigured to define a diameter of respective regions of interest basedin part on a width or an amount of pressure of the corresponding touchpoints; and program code instructions configured to define each of theregions of interest to comprise at least one disc comprising one or morecontours, wherein respective regions of interest correspond to an areafor annotating the medical image.
 20. The computer program product ofclaim 19, further comprising: program code instructions configured toexpand a size of at least one of the regions of interest in response toreceipt of an indication of a detection of a first touch point, of thetouch points, being moved across the touch enabled display or inresponse to receipt of an indication of at least one second touch point,of the touch points, within the at least one region of interest beingmoved across the touch enabled display in an outward directionoverlapping a first contour of the region of interest.